Success is a multifaceted and subjective concept. Readers of the "5 Questions for..." series will not have failed to notice that everyone defines it in his or her own way. But success almost always requires hard work, determination and perseverance to achieve professional as well as personal goals and to achieve results.
Have you ever heard the phrase "Nothing succeeds like success"? This phrase implies that success encourages further success. In other words: Once you are successful, it becomes more likely that you will be successful in the future. Our interview partner of the month Reto Schlup also follows this credo. He is convinced that successful people or companies develop a positive dynamic that drives them forward and fosters further success. To achieve this, he is prepared to make strategic decisions to keep the company on the road to success.
Reto Schlup is General Manager at EuropTec Polymer, a Swiss company based in Oftringen. As a member of the Glas Trösch Group, the company specializes in the production of high-quality plastic parts and assemblies for the medical industry. Having joined the company in 2020, Reto Schlup has now been responsible for the company's continued success as Managing Director for several months. Under his leadership, the company is being realigned and equipped for the future using modern approaches such as design thinking and new leadership. The trained toolmaker in the field of injection molding started his career in the watch industry. This was followed by further positions in the medical industry and in special plant engineering in the field of automation and robotics. Thanks to his wealth of experience and equipped with an EMBA in General Management, a CAS Innovation and Change Management and further training in modern work and lean management in all areas, the newly appointed General Manager not only has the know-how but also the drive to turn his clear goals into concrete action.
Find out in the interview which beliefs and maxims shape Reto Schlup's professional decisions.
Mr. Schlup, if you had taken a different path when you were younger, what would you have become?
"I never felt the need to go back in time and take a different path. I have always been passionate about technology and have always maintained that passion. Moreover, I'm glad that today I have the chance to participate in the development of young talents and I love to accompany our employees as a sparring partner."
What is your favorite way to start your day?
"I usually start my day just before five o'clock with a black coffee. After that, I go work out and then start the day awake and fresh."
What does success mean to you personally?
"For me, success is when I have created an environment in which all employees can develop optimally according to their strengths. This positive interaction also contains my motto: Nothing succeeds like success."
What would you work for free for a week?
"I would work for free for a cause that serves a greater good or advances me in my personal development. Of course, assignments in the family environment are always high priority as well."
What was the best professional advice you ever received?
"Asking yourself every day how to prevent pointless waste (e.g. expensive meetings, complicated processes, elaborate systems, etc.). I think this "wisdom" makes the difference between success and failure in many SMEs."
We would like to thank Mr. Schlup for his contribution to this article.
This interview was conducted in writing.
Batterman Consulting Basel AG
Executive Search,
Byfangweg 1a, CH-4051 Basel
T +41 58 680 55 55
basel@batterman.ch
